By Nighat Aleem
While you would know how people often make use of salt, did you know that black salt is actually becoming quite an appealing alternative. It has been in use for a long time and since its origin, it has such a strong following. In fact, did you know that the miraculous effects of black salt on human health are actually known to play an important role in its vogue. Not to mention its unique flavor which brings a different perspective to foods. In this article, we will answer the question “what is black salt” and inform about its benefits and possible harms:
First of all let’s start off by discussing what is black salt. It actually goes by many names, but you would know it commonly as kala namak or kala loon. It gets this name from its violet-to-black color. However, it is only black in its natural state; when ground, it turns pink. Because of the minerals that the Himalayan black salt contains in addition to sodium chloride, black salt is widely used in foods, cosmetics, and alternative medical treatments. You would be amazed by just how many uses and benefits you can get from making use of black salt. Black salt has a significant place in Ayurveda, with a history of more than 2,000 years. Ayurvedic healers believe that Kala Namak salt has a variety of medicinal qualifications. They use it to heal digestive disorders, eye diseases, dental problems, stress-related illnesses, anemia, and hysteria among many other things. Despite the lack of clinical evidence for many of these Ayurvedic therapies, studies have shown that black salt has some medicinal benefits. Himalayan black salt is high in antioxidants and has a surprisingly low sodium content. It stimulates bile production in the liver, which helps to control heartburn and bloating. It reduces acid, gas, and flatulence production and relieves reflux, and increases vitamin absorption in the small intestine.
Black salt water which is prepared with black salt, or black salt soaps helps the recovery of oily, acne-prone, and blotchy skin. In addition, positive feedback is received from scrub gels and creams prepared with black salt granules that are added to skin cleansing products. Did you know that black salt contains minerals that can improve hair growth. When it is applied to shampoo, hair cream, or hair mask, it helps in strengthening weak hair and prevents it from split ends. Also it significantly reduces hair loss and dandruff formation when consumed with food.
Black salt is widely used also in cooking and is a popular ingredient in our cuisine. It’s also very popular in vegan cooking as an egg substitute because of its pungent, umami, and egg-like flavor and smell derived from its sulfur-rich structure. While Himalayan black salt has a low sodium content, it should be noted that it has a sharp salty flavor. Therefore, it is possible to obtain the same salty taste by using a smaller amount of black salt than regular table salt. Black salt can also be considered as a safer alternative in constant use, because of lower sodium intake. It is recommended not to consume more than 6 grams of Kala Namak salt per day. It should not be consumed more than 3.5 grams a day by people with high blood pressure. 6 grams of black salt contains approximately 300 milligrams of sulfur. You should know that while black salt has many benefits, it can lead to dangerous diseases in case of excessive consumption of the minerals it contains, as in all other types of salt. It should not be taken in excess of the recommended dosage.
